Dual garment hangers



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 8, 1964 /r 0 y WZ M Z W a W M, E a M 5/ @w a, w. i L y r /9 9 WW a W, 1 07m :w E 5w fiflanu 5 1/, i .z #0

March 29, 1966 b. c. PALMER 3,243,088

DUAL GARMENT HANGERS Filed June 8, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A 17 & 3d 3 37 I in. n l 5 (O 4 I ZE 55 6 Ibiza/2r E j? 02% 67%255 3150M, c414. MM 2%17/636 Patented Mar. 29, 1966 3,243,088 DUAL GARMENT HANGERS Otto C. Palmer, 1072 Carroll St., Brooklyn, N.Y. Filed June 8, 1964, Ser. No. 373,290 8 Claims. (Cl. 223-88) This invention relates to clothes hangers and more especially to a hanger particularly adapted for the support of drip-dry garments after laundering.

It is customary when supporting drip-dry garments, such as shirts, blouses, dresses, and the like for drying, to suspend them on hangers such as the conventional coat hangers. Since such hangers, whether of wire, wood, plastic or other construction, have no substantial depth from front to rear of the garment supporting surface, this usage permits the front and rear portions or panels of the wet garment to hang in such proximity that they are apt to cling together, thus lengthening the drying period and also preventing portions of the garment from hanging free and straight, as is necessary to the wrinkle-free drying of the garment.

Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide a garment hanger so constructed as to present, in one position or condition, a depth or frontto-rear dimension sufiicient to separate the front and rear portions or panels of a garment so that they hang entirely free of each other, thus avoiding the difiiculties mentioned above.

More specifically, it is an object of the invention to provide a garment hanger comprising, in combination, two substantially similar garment support members connected by a parallel-movement linkage so that the two support members may be moved, alternatively, to positions adjacent each other or substantially spaced from each other, together with locking means for securing them in such spaced relation, and hook means for suspending the garment support members from a fixed support such as a rod or bracket. When not employed for the special purpose for which they are intended, the garment hangers of the present invention may be collapsed for packing or storage and, in one embodiment described hereinafter, may also be used, in such collapsed position, as a conventional coat hanger.

The particular means employed, in the present embodiments, for maintaining the two garment support members in spaced parallel position comprises a vertically slidable rod associated with each said support member, each said rod having a horizontally directed extension at its lower end which is engageable in a notch formed in the adjacent lower surface of the garment support member so as to inhibit relative angular movement between the rod and the support member, together with releasable means for maintaining the said horizontal rod portions in the said notches. The rods in question may be rigidly connected at their upper ends so that the rods and their associated connecting member constitute the aforementioned parallel-movement linkage means in whole or in art.

p The locking means may constitute a member movable about the aforesaid member connecting the upper ends of the rods into a position between the garment support members, in which position the rods are maintained in their upper or locking positions or, alternatively, the vertical rods may be connected to the hook or suspending means so that the mere weight of the garment support members plus that of a garment supported thereon maintains the vertical rods in their upward vertical positions relative to their garment support members.

Other and further objects, features and advantages will be apparent from the description which follows, read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of a garment hanger constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a similar view showing the device in its collapsed condition;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary horizontal section on line 3-3 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary horizontal section on line 44 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a vertical section on line 55 of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 6 is a front elevational view of another embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 7 is an end elevation of the device of FIG' URE 6;

FIGURE 8 is a vertical transverse section on lines 88 of FIGURE 6, showing the vertical rods in their upper position engaged in the associated notches;

FIGURE 9 is a view similar to FIGURE 8 but showing the vertical rods in their lower or released position;

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary plan view of the device of FIGURE 6, showing the suspending means in lowered position;

FIGURE 11 is a plan View of the device in the position illustrated in FIGURE 6; and

FIGURE 12 is a plan view of the device in collapsed condition suitable for use as a conventional coat hanger.

In order to facilitate an understanding of the invention, reference is made to the embodiments thereof shown in the accompanying drawings and detailed descriptive language is employed. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the invention is thereby intended and that various changes and alterations are contemplated such as would ordinarily occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.

Referring to FIGURES 1-5, the garment hanger of the present invention comprises generally a pair of garment support members 15, 16 connected by linkage means comprising a vertical rod 17 slidably associated with the support member 15, a vertical rod 18 similarly associated with the support member 16 and a horizontal connecting member 19 joining the upper ends of the rods 17 and 18. The support members 15 and 16 may be formed of any suitable material, plastic or wood being preferred. To provide suitable clearance for the relative motions of the locking member associated with the connecting member 19, the latter is preferably connected to the upper ends of the rods 17 and 18 by outwardly bent portions 20 and 21, respectively. Preferably, the rods 17 and 18, connecting member 19 and bends 20 and 21 are constituted by a single piece of suitable rod or wire material. As seen in FIGURE 2, the lower extremity of each rod 17, 18 is bent at right angles to form horizontal portions or projections 22 and 23, respectively, preferably directed toward each other. The adjacent lower surface of the associated support members 15, 16 is formed to provide a notch 24, 25, respectievly, which receive and embrace the projections 22, 23 when the support members 15 and 16 are in parallel spaced relation as illustrated in FIG- URE 5 and the rods 17 and 18 are in their raised positions relative to the said support members. Preferably, though not necessarily, the linkage thus provided is supplemented by links 26 and 27 connecting the respective extremities of the support members 15 and 16 and pivoted thereto as at 28 by screws or other suitable means. If desired, each suport member 15, 16 may include a conventional rod 29 extending between its extremities.

A locking member 30 is pivotally mounted on the connecting member 19, the member 30 being formed of wood, plastic or other suitable material. suspending means such as a hook 31 is secured to the locking member 30 in any suitable manner, preferably being swiveled thereto as shown. j

The locking member 30 is formed with downwardly facing shoulders 32, 33 adapted to engage the adjacent upper edges of the support members 15 and 16 when the latter are in their spaced apart position and the locking member 30 is in its vertical position, the reduced width of the locking member 30 below the shoulders 32, 33 being just sufiicient to be accommodated between the members 15 and 16 when they are spaced apart as far as their linkage permits. The shoulders 32 and 33 of the member 30 serve as cams operating against the adjacent upper edges of the support members 15, 16 to raise the rods 17, 18 to their upper positions relative to the members 15, 16 so that when the device is in the condition illustrated in FIGURE the horizontal portions or projections 22, 23 of the rods 17, 18 engage the notches 24, 25, respectively. This engagement, together with the imposition of the lower portion of the member 30 between the facing surfaces of the members 15, 16, when in place, produces and maintains constant tension on member 19 and bends 20 and 21 holding rods 17 and 18 in raised position and the horizontal portions or projections 22 and 23 on rods 17 and 18 firmly into notches 24 and 25 respectively as illustrated in FIGURE 5.

When it is desired to collapse the device into the position illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 4, member 30 is intentionally rotated about the horizontal member 19 and the rods 17 and 18 depressed at bends 20 and 21 to disengage projections 22 and 23 of rods 17 and 18 from notches 24 and 25. When this is done, the member 30 and the hook 31 are inverted and the latter lies between the support members 15, 16. The device may then be collapsed to the position illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 4 in which the support members 15 and 16 lie substantially against each other with the hook 31 between them. In this position the device may be conveniently packed for storage or travel.

The embodiment illustrated in FIGURES 6 to 12, inelusive, differs from that of FIGURES 15 in that the connecting member 35 which joins the upper ends of the rods 17 and 18 is formed with oppositely directed horizontal offsets 36 and 37 (FIGURE 11) giving it a Z-forrnation in plan. The suspending means comprises a hook 38 swiveled in a yoke 39 pivoted on the connecting member 35 (FIGURE 8) which difiers from the locking member 30 of the alternative embodiment in that the yoke 39, when in erect position as illustrated in FIG- URES 6 9, has no portion which lies between the support members 15 and 16. The latter are maintained in spaced relation entirely by the engagement of the horizontal portions or projections 22 and 23 of the rods 17 and 18 within the notches 24 and 25 formed in the support members 15 and 16. This condition is illustrated in FIGURE 8, the engagement of the portions 22 and 23 in the notches 24, 25 being maintained through the weight of the support members 15 and 16 and a garment supported thereon.

When it is desired to collapse the device into the position illustrated in FIGURE 12, the yoke 39 is depressed relative to the support members 15 and 16 to disengage the projections 22, 23 from the notches 24, 25 and the support members 15, 16 may then be collapsed against each other. The yoke 39 may remain erect during this operation in which case the device can be used as a conventional coat hanger. However, the yoke 39 may be swung downwardly before the support members 15 and 16 are moved toward each other, as illustrated in FIG- URE 10, in which case the yoke lies between the support members 15 and 16 when the device is in the collapsed condition, with the hook 38 likewise disposed downwardly between the support members. In this condition the device may conveniently be packed for storage or for travel.

The Z-shape of the horizontal member 35 facilitates the last described folding operation, which can take place in one direction only, that is, by moving the garment support member 15 to the left relative to the support member 16 as shown in FIGURE 12.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. Garment hanger comprising, in combination, two substantially similar garment support members lying in parallel planes, linkage means connecting said support members for relative parallel movements toward and away from each other with accompanying longitudinal displacement of one relative to the other, releasable securing means for securing said linkage relative to said members with said members in spaced apart relation, and means for suspending said members from a fixed support.

2. Garment hanger as defined in claim 1, said securing means including a vertical rod slidably secured to each said member for angular and limited vertical movement relative to said member, each said rod having a lower end portion directed substantially horizontally, each said support member having a notch in its lower surface adjacent said lower end of the associated rod and adapted to receive and embrace said horizontal lower end portion when said associated rod is at the upper limit of its said relative vertical movement to inhibit relative angular movement between said rod and associated member, and releasable means for maintaining said rods in their said upper positions.

3. Garment hanger as defined in claim 2, said last means consisting in the combined weight of said members and any load supported thereon, said rods being connected in load-transmitting relation to said suspending means.

4. Garment hanger as defined in claim 2, including a locking member having a portion positionable in tight engagement between said support members when in their spaced relation, said rods being horizontally pivoted at their upper ends in said locking member, said locking member and said support members being formed with cooperating cam surfaces whereby said rods are maintained in their upper positions when said locking member is in locking position between said support members.

5. Garment hanger as defined in claim 2, said rods being connected at their upper ends 'by a horizontal member serving as part of said linkage means, and means connecting said suspending means to said horizontal member.

6. Garment hanger as defined in claim 4, said rods being connected at their upper ends by a horizontal member serving as the said horizontal pivot for said locking member.

7. Garment hanger as defined in claim 6, said suspending means being connected to said locking member and said locking member being rotatable on said horizontal member to a position in which said suspending means lies wholly below said horizontal member.

8. Garment hanger as defined in claim 5, said horizontal member being formed with oppositely directed rightangled bends at its respective ends, the intermediate portion of said horizontal member lying parallel to said support members and said means connecting said suspending means when the latter are positioned nearest each other.

FRANK J. COHEN, Primary Examiner.

G. H. KRIZMANICH, Assistant Examiner. 

1. GARMENT HANGER COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, TWO SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR GARMENT SUPPORT MEMBERS LYING IN PARALLEL PLANES, LINKAGE MEANS CONNECTING SAID SUPPORT MEMBER FOR RELATIVE PARALLEL MOVEMENTS TOWARD AND AWAY FROM EACH OTHER WITH ACCOMPANYING LONGITUDINAL DISPLACEMENT OF ONE RELATIVE TO THE OTHER, RELEASABLE SECURING MEANS FOR SECURING SAID LINKAGE RELATIVE TO SAID MEMBERS WITH SAID MEMBERS IN SPACED APART RELATION, AND MEANS FOR SUSPENDING SAID MEMBERS FROM A FIXED SUPPORT. 